Alright Guys. I need everyone to take a deep breath before you read this. Be open minded and if you think the beginning is disgusting I advise you not to read on. I got the idea for this one-shot from the movie 'The Cell.' It's not connected that well but I hope you get the feeling I'm trying to get across. Funny thing is I got the idea on how to write a few scenes from listening to City of Blinding Lights- U2…. Don't ask….
Here you go!
Anastasia Rayne
Sarah Williams suffered an attack that no doctor has been able to identify and was now in her third week of being comatose. Her family had given up hope except for Toby who refused to let his parents pull the plug on her life support. He came to the hospital everyday after school by taking the bus. He would hold her hand and pray for something to make her sister wake up. But today, after a long amount of time thinking he decided to take a different approach. He sat next to her as he always did, except this time when he opened his mouth he didn't say a prayer, he wished.
"I wish someone would help my sister get better," He spoke firmly not knowing why today was any different. He quickly changed the subject and began telling his sister about his day and how much homework he had.
Suddenly a man walked into the room. He looked perfectly ordinary in jeans and a nice shirt and jacket but his eyes were otherworldly. He gazed at the little boy and the young woman who lay in the bed. He approached Toby carefully and sat across from him.
"You called?" He asked lazily not recognizing the pair at first but when he finally looked up at the two his eyes widened. Sarah was barely recognizable with her form now pale and gangly. Toby was at least seven years older. "Toby? What has happened?"
The little boy looked at the man intimidated, "Do I know you?" He took hold of his sister's hand tightly.
The king looked at him closely and spoke slowly, "I'm not surprised you don't remember me. Your sister once wished you to me in a temper tantrum but retrieved you successfully. I am the King of the goblins, Toby. I grant wishes and you have called on me."
Before Toby could try to get a better explanation his want for his sister to get better dominated his mouth and he blurted, "My sister is in a coma and no one knows why." He took a big breath for letting his other questions roll out, "You're a king? My sister wished me away? Why?"
"No one knows why? I know for certain modern medicine in your world should be able to figure out why this has happened." Jareth spoke before placing a hand on her forehead only to jerk back. There were dark emotions and pain within the woman's mind. "I am a King and she wished you away because she was being childish." He turned from the girl to Toby and his eyes began to glow. "Toby, you will go home and do your normal routine. You will forget I came and your wish." He watched the little boy nod and rise from his seat. He walked out the white room casually and without a second glance.
"Sarah, Sarah, what is going on in that mind," He murmured. Jareth had known of a few cases of people who entered his labyrinth who had gone mad. This was the first he had seen that rendered a girl unconscious. He could feel the magic of his labyrinth surrounding the girl and thus made him think it was because of it. Granted it was several years after her visit but a stressful event could make things collapse.
"As my worthy opponent, I cannot let you die like this. I will help you," He said calmly while placing his hand to her forehead. "Show me Sarah." He disappeared from the sick smelling room.
Jareth opened his eyes and found himself to be back in the white room full of machines surrounding the frail girl. "I'm still here?" He thought aloud. He looked to Sarah with his brows furrowed. "That's strange." Suddenly blood started staining the white covers that covered the young woman. It seemed to be coming from her stomach. His eyes widened and he began shouting for help but it was muted. He ran to the door and tried screaming but no one was around. He went back to the girl and his head looked around frantically to try to find something to help. The pool of blood became larger and larger until Jareth was thrust downwards through the floor. "Sarah!"
A ticking of a clock could be heard echoing off the walls of a dungeon. He stood in the middle and saw five different cages that held deformed creatures inside. One looked to be a dog but its face was smashed in and it's teeth hanging from its mouth. It had two legs and a table leg for a third. He barked happily at the man who looked on cautiously. Another was a panther that was gutted and its intestines were hanging out as he licked at its fur. Its eyes had glass shards sticking out as he looked at Jareth lazily.
"This can't be Sarah's mind," His thought was given sound as it reverberated through the room. He turned around surveying his surroundings and saw a door a few feet away from him. He walked towards it and looked through the small window. A young adolescent Sarah was twirling around in the ball gown she wore in the dream at his labyrinth. He entered the room and heard the sound of his voice singing. He saw chandeliers hung from the ceiling along with white and blue dolls suspended by their necks.
"Sarah?" He spoke softly to the young girl who stopped, frightened to look at him. She walked towards him at a fast pace and shoved him into a corner which morphed into a cage. He blinked in surprise before trying to get out. He watched out of the corner of his eye the young girl reach for a long sharp object. She took the object to her arm and began slicing herself open. She began cutting open her whole body and thick blood oozed from the wounds and down the pearly white dress.
Jareth began shouting at her to stop and frantically rattling the bars, trying to get out. His shouts were dominated slowly by a skin-crawling laugh. He saw a woman in dark colors walked towards the young girl. She ran her fingers through the younger girl's hair with a giggle. "That's my girl." Soon the girl was completely mutilated.
The king couldn't believe his eyes as he watched horrified. "Sarah!" He shouted in vain. He watched as the older woman snapped her eyes to him. They widened in fury. Faster than his eyes could follow she appeared in front of him.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Her voice boomed followed by a loud piercing scream. She reached through the bars and cut gashes down his chest with her nails. "GET OUT!"
Jareth instantly realized this was Sarah in her adult form and shouted back, "I'm here to help you!"
She laughed manically before everything melted around Jareth and he slammed his back against the wall to try and get away. Everything spun at a dizzying pace and he suddenly found himself on a cliff.
A raging storm was making its way toward the land and he frowned at the sight. Lightening could be seen in the distance and the after effects boomed around him. He heard a buzzing of female voices in front of him and saw a willowy creature. It was female but he wasn't sure if it was human. Her white hair was tangled and whipping around her. Her body was pale and creamy and she was dressed in an ivory gown. Her eyes were black as night and a sad look was upon her face. Her mouth was open and different voices were speaking at once.
"She's worthless, nothing, a complete fail-" A loud male voice shouted.
"Naughty child, she must be punis-" An inhuman voice said with a laugh.
"I have no daughter. That little girl is a dem-" An older woman spoke hatefully.
The words kept flowing, seemingly all at once. Jareth stepped back in caution. He watched as the woman –or thing- stepped towards the ledge. A happy sigh could be heard as she jumped off the cliff. He ran after trying to save her but it was too late. He watched as her white form fell down the steep cliff, her figure standing out against the stormy background.
His body was jerked away from the cliff and down the side. Rocky steps held him steady as his feet moved at an unnatural pace down the stairs. He appeared at the shore staring out at the raging ocean.
"Go swim!" Sarah said before laughing as she shoved him into the icy cold water. She watched as he went head first deeper and deeper into the water. Her body spun quickly as she disappeared.
He clawed against the force that was making him become further submerged. He felt his breath slowly running out and he struggled in vain. When his lungs felt like they would collapse he inhaled involuntarily and found air rushed into him. He stopped struggling and looked around through the murky and tumbling water. He could barely see the lightening flashing from above.
He jerked with a shout as he saw hundreds of bodies around him. All of them were bloated and the skin was shriveled on the forms. Fish and other sorts of marine creatures swam in and out the bodies. A few had made them their home as eggs could be seen in a rotted head. The creatures weaved through the rotted flesh.
"Welcome home Jareth," A skin-crawling voice spoke and webbed hands grabbed hold of him. He tried to struggle but he was only held tighter.
"Sarah!" He shouted as he struggled against the creature holding him. It came out muffled as water began pouring into his mouth. He started choking and when he finally felt his lungs failing everything stopped.
He blinked and when his eyes opened he was in a dark chamber. He didn't move and there was only dead silence that welcomed him. A giggle interrupted the eerie silence and he watched as Sarah came into his view.
Sarah walked slowly towards Jareth with an evil smile upon her dark features. Her black attire clung to her body tightly as her ruby red lips glinted in the eerie gray light. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with malice. He watched as she approached him and his breath caught in his throat. She shoved him hard and he slowly fell upon a round bed of blood red sheets. He moved to get up but found himself to be bound to the bed by all his limbs. A manic female laughter could be heard throughout the room though the woman present was quiet with the smile intact.
Suddenly Jareth felt hands upon his now bare chest. He looked down and saw a pair of black, blue and red hands moving over his body. He looked to his left and saw a beautiful blue featured woman with turquoise eyes that shined with sadness. Her skin was a midnight blue and she wore a negligee that barely covered her of a baby blue and her long curly hair was a variety of different hues. To his right a woman of fiery red features was currently unbuttoning his pants. Her blood red eyes were full of passion and hatred as her body was also scantily clad in scarlet. She had a smile on her face as she pushed her hand into his pants and took hold of his member. Jareth threw back his head and groaned.
His eyes caught a slender woman of jet black skin with raven eyes looking down at him with death in her gaze. Her hands were traveling down his back and upon his stomach from behind. Her hair was short and black as night. Each one of them symbolized a powerful emotion. His thoughts were cut off as their mouths descended on him and began to pleasure him in a way he hadn't thought possible. One was sucking on his left nipple while nipping occasionally. Another was teasing the side of his throat and ear with her lips and teeth. The last was kissing her way down his abdomen before taking him inside her mouth. He arched off the bed as she sucked insanely hard and swirled her tongue expertly down his member.
Sarah's evil smile turned into a wicked grin as she reached behind her and pulled a girl of at most seven in front of her. Until this point nothing could be heard except the sighing of Jareth and soft echo of insane giggling that barely bounced off the walls. The little girl was dressed in overalls and her hair in pigtails held by pink ribbons. Her hazy green eyes widened at the sight before her. She gasped loudly making Jareth turn his gaze to the sound and his mouth dropped in horror. The girl tried to turn her head but Sarah forced her to look by her chin.
"Don't be frightened Sarah," The older version said in a whisper before crazed laughter boomed throughout the room. Her grip tightened and it went from her chin down to the little version's throat. Her sharp red nails dug into the pale flesh and a feminine sigh was heard.
Blood and water began to flow down the walls as Jareth was lost in a sea of ecstasy. His head fell back and his face burned with shame knowing the girl was still watching. He felt his body tighten as the pleasure began to increase. Suddenly all three women let out a blood-curdling scream as knives were driven into their backs. Jareth looked on in morbid fascination as the little girl held a knife glistening with blood. She dropped it and covered her face.
"No more innocence," The older Sarah said with a wide smile. She wrapped her arms around the younger version and they spun rapidly and disappeared.
Jareth looked on dumbfounded before the room became disfigured and he found himself in an hourglass with sand pouring in at a slow pace. He looked around frantically, trying to find an escape. He found other hourglasses surrounding him on pillars of red stone. Each one held a different person. Her mother was barely recognizable because of her disfigured face and body as she was packed tightly in sand and not moving. Her time seemed to have run out to escape. Her father was clawing at the glass as sand had packed him waist high. His eyes were gauged out and blood was running down from the sockets. At the end was Toby who was making castles with the sand. Wires were sewn into his joints and mouth. The boy looked over to the king and smiled making the wires rip his mouth and blood poured down.
"TOBY!!" Jareth shouted, horrified at what he seeing. He began banging on the glass and thus caused more sand to start pouring into the lower half. "Let me out Sarah! Let me out!" He screamed.
"Jaaaareeeth," A soft voice said in a soothing manner. It had a child-like quality to it. The little girl in overalls appeared in front of him suspended in mid-air. She reached out slowly and pressed her palm against the cool glass. "You shouldn't have come."
"I had to. I have to help you," He said emotionally and pressed his hand against the glass as hard as he could. His hand suddenly shot through the barrier and grasped hold of the little girl's. He snapped out of the glass and both of them began plunging down towards the ground. They were hundreds of feet above the ground and the little girl was humming an eerie tune as they plummeted down.
"Make it stop, Sarah!" He shouted to her and when the girl looked at him her face had changed. Jareth blinked and he was holding the older version of Sarah.
"You can't help me. Goblin King," Sarah said before letting out a crazed laughter. She grabbed hold of his wrist and flung him against the tower wall. Instead of hitting it he was sent into another part of her mind.
He stumbled as he landed in front of her house. He cautiously looked around and saw the little girl running into the house at the back entrance. The king followed her carefully and walked inside on alert. He saw his precious Sarah running around frantically picking up her dolls which kept leaving her arms and ending back on the floor.
"Didn't I tell you to pick this shit up?!" A male voice shouted as a tall man entered the room. He grabbed the little girl by her hair as she screamed an apology. Diane was on the sofa dressed up for a night out with a sneer on her face. Robert began punching the girl over and over. Sarah screamed bloody murder as her father continued beating her.
Diane let her head fall back and began screaming with laughter. Her head snapped side to side in a sickening speed as her laughter got louder. Her face seemed disfigured as her head moved faster and faster. Robert began flinging the little girl around the room. He slammed her head into the wall then onto the table. Blood was pouring from Sarah's head.
Jareth tried to reach to help her but he was pulled against the wall and it began covering him with itself until only his face was visible. Toby appeared on Diane's lap with his head twisted back and he was giggling while playing with lancelot.
"My baby boy," A screeching voice was heard as laughter continued.
Jareth looked back to Sarah who was now in an adolescent form. Her father has his pants down and she let out a blood curdling scream as he entered her.
"NO!" Jareth screamed as he watched her father brutally rape and beat his daughter. The man was laughing as he watched his daughter fight and scream.
Robert turned his head to the king and gave him a wicked smile. "She's mine now." His pace inside his daughter became so fast it could barely be seen. It became unnatural and the man transformed into a demon-like creature with ram horns sprouting from his head. He giggled before withdrawing himself from her.
"That's my little girl," The voice was high-pitched and sounded as if hundreds were speaking at the same time.
Tears began to run down Jareth's face as he struggled to get out of his restraints. He finally escaped from the wall only to be thrust into another part of her mind.
The place was beautiful and serene and made Jareth become extremely wary. There were trees of ivory white trunks and purple and pink leaves all across the land. The ground was a vibrant blue and the sky an emerald green. He could see the younger Sarah playing with her favorite doll a few feet away.
He walked over to her and noticed his shoes gone and himself dressed in a pair on jeans and a loose white t-shirt. He crouched down and placed a hand on the little girl, "Sarah." His voice sounded lazy and soft.
The girl looked up frightened and went to move but Jareth held her. He smiled warmly at her, "Don't be afraid. I want to help."
Sarah began shaking her head scared. "You can't." She held her doll close as she looked away.
"Tell me what happened," Jareth said soothingly as he rubbed his hand along her back. "You can tell me."
The little girl began appearing in and out of focus rapidly before her adolescent form took hold, "I wanted to stay with you." She looked up at him with a hollow expression, "I wanted to stay in the labyrinth."
"You still can, Sarah," Jareth said, his voice full of emotion, "All you have to do is wake up."
"Oh no… here she comes," Sarah transformed back into her younger self and covered her head with her arms.
The silver sun had fully set and now a blood red sky covered them. He narrowed his eyes and took hold of the little girl tightly. "Sarah! Stop this! Don't do this to yourself!" He shouted.
His arms were forced back and he looked down to find the older Sarah smiling up at him. "What would be the fun in that?" Her eyes were hazy as her smile became seductive. He pressed her hand against his chest and looked mockingly into his eyes, "Is daddy mad?" Her lips were closed but her voice clearly heard. She pressed her lips against his. "I know his little princess can cheer him up." She moved her mouth against his as she ran her hands along his chest. A satisfied moan came from the woman.
"Stop it!" Jareth shouted as he shoved her away. "Why are you doing this?" He grabbed hold of her and held her tightly. "Tell me what happened."
Her voice was warped as she replied, "You.. can't help me…" She let out a scream that made the hairs on the back on his neck rise. She then spun out of sight.
He rose from the ground and cleared his mind of everything he had seen so far. He thought of one thing and one thing only. Sarah. Jareth centered his mind and reached out towards her. His body was thrust into another part.
When he was able to look around he found everything to be encompassed in darkness. There was a dim light a little way away from him. He began walking towards it at a fast pace. His eyes focused and he could see a figure in the light. He picked up his pace and began running to it. Jareth reached out towards the being and was sucked into the light. When he came to a stop he saw Sarah at her current age reading a book on the floor.
"Sarah," Jareth said tiredly as he crouched down before her. He was in his normal attire which he looked at surprised.
"Jareth? What are you doing here?" Sarah asked confused as she laid down her book.
"Sarah, you need to wake up," He told her firmly, "You're lost within your mind and it's rendered you unconscious."
The brown-haired woman laughed, "What? I expected a few things you might say, but this isn't one of them. Why are you really here?"
"Your brother wished me to help you. You've been in a coma for three weeks and you need. To wake. Up." Jareth replied looking deep into her eyes.
"Toby?" Sarah asked softly. Her mind could recall him talking to her but she couldn't place when. "H-How did I get here?"
"No one knows. You had some sort of attack and you ended up here," Jareth said with relief. He thanked the gods he finally reached her. He pushed a stray hair behind her ear.
"Attack?" Her eyebrows burrowed in confusion. Suddenly she could hear a static sound in her ears. She grabbed her head and clenched her eyes shut. Everything was starting to make sense and her memories were flooding back into her head. She snapped her head up fearfully, "Jareth!"
A demonic creature knelt down behind Sarah and moved his hands over her form. His horns stuck sharply from his head as his skin was an ashen gray. Neither one could move as he inhaled her scent deeply. He began to giggle wildly as his hands went closer to her skin. A metal collar appeared in his hands and he snapped it around her neck. He grabbed her suddenly and took her away as she screamed bloody murder. "JARETH!"
"WAKE UP SARAH! FIGHT IT! WAKE UP!" Jareth shouted after her and growled when he heard the satanic laugh of a female. He tightened his fists at his side. "You have to wake up. None of this is real. Wake up Sarah!"
"She's mine now…… Jareth," An evil feminine voice was heard before a sadistic laugh following. The dim light went out and he was left in darkness. "And so are you." He tensed out of instinct and began to hear the faint beeping of a heart monitor. The beeping was slowing down and less constant.
"Sarah!" He shouted feeling his voice going hoarse. The beeping slowed until it was non-existent.
"I love you Sarah," Toby said dreamy-like before silence once again took over.
Jareth's eyes widened when he realized what was going on, "Show me Toby!" He tried to shout but his voice was gone. His breathing increased and he could hear someone's footsteps coming towards him.
"Jareeeeeeth," Sarah called tauntingly circling around him, "There's no way out now." She brought a knife out from her back and thrust it into his chest. She began laughing manically as he fell to the floor with a soundless scream. "Welcome home."
Jareth looked up into the black void as blood poured from his wound. A look of horror stayed upon his face as he slowly felt his life force fading. "Rest peacefully, Sarah." With one last breath he died leaving the horrifying world of his victor's mind.
